Bollywood spat enthralls India

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A battle between a Bollywood star and her husband over their
baby daughter is captivating India, where millions worship film
stars and follow their personal lives closely.

The spat became public after superstar Karisma Kapoor was
dragged to court by her industrialist husband, Sunjay Kapur.

He asked the Delhi High Court to stop her taking their
five-month-old daughter overseas as he feared she would not bring
her back.

Millions of Indians have been glued to their TV sets and
newspapers have been carrying front-page articles.

A leading dairy company has even used the split in an
advertisement for its butter.

"Kapur vs Kapoor" read one headline in the Hindustan Times. One
TV news channel asked its viewers to participate in a poll on
whether the couple should stay together.

"My wife has been deliberately and without any reason depriving
our minor daughter of my care and company," Kapur said in his
petition to the court.

But the actor, known for her roles as the saucy girl next door,
has denied his charges and says he deserted her.

"Sunjay's petition is nothing but a crude attempt to urge and
seek redress of matrimonial issues ... by using the minor as a
pawn," Kapoor's petition said.

Kapoor, 31, says she was taking the baby along on a foreign trip
and had no plans to settle overseas.

The couple who were childhood friends married in September,
2003, amid splendour and national media attention but drifted apart
this year. Local television and newspapers said there were rumours
he had an affair.

Kapoor, who comes from a family of famous Bollywood actors,
moved back to her own house in Mumbai, known as Bombay until 1995,
from her husband's home in New Delhi and gave birth to Samaira in
March. She had Samaira's passport made after she told authorities
that she lived separately from her husband.

But Kapur, a US national, went to court saying his rights as a
father had been violated as he had no knowledge of the baby's
travel plans nor had he given his consent.

A judge has ordered them to try and resolve their problems.
Under Hindu law -- which the couple follow -- both parents have
equal rights over their children.